Updates Concerning Shooting at Reynolds High School

The following statements were given on June 11, 2014, at an 11 a.m. PDT press conference concerning the shooting at Reynolds High School on June 10.

Hello.

My name is Scott Anderson, and I am the chief of Troutdale Police Department.

To update the investigation:

The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office completed the autopsy this morning on the shooter and has positively identified him as 15-year-old Jared Michael Padgett.

He was a freshman at Reynolds High School. He arrived at school yesterday morning on the school bus carrying a guitar case and a duffel bag. He entered the boys’ locker room in the building that housed the gymnasium. He spent a period of time in the locker room and during that time murdered a fellow student.

We have not established any link between the student and the shooter.

Teacher Todd Rispler encountered the shooter in the locker room. As he was fleeing, Mr. Rispler was shot once, suffering a grazing wound to his hip. Mr. Rispler made his way to the office, where he was able to notify the administration, which then immediately initiated the lockdown.

As the shooter was moving through the main hallway, he encountered officers who were starting to enter from two separate doorways. At that time, he moved into a small restroom. We know there was an exchange of gunfire between one of the first responding officers and the shooter. Based on the autopsy this morning, we do know that the shooter died of a self-inflected gunshot wound.

The shooter used an AR-15 type rifle in the attack and carried, but did not use, a semi-automatic handgun. Investigators also recovered nine loaded magazines with the capability of holding several hundred rounds.

The shooter also had a large knife. He was wearing a non-ballistic vest used for carrying ammunition and other items. He also was wearing a multi-sport helmet with a camouflage design.

The shooter obtained the weapons from his family home. The weapons had been secured, but he defeated the security measures.

At this time, it would be inappropriate to discuss a possible motive for the murder.

I cannot emphasize enough the role that Mr. Rispler and the responding officers played in saving many, many lives yesterday. Given the weapons and amount of ammunition that the shooter was carrying, the early notification and the initial law enforcement response were critical. Every one of the teachers and students in that school did the exact right thing in a very difficult situation.

Sometimes it may be difficult to understand why we—law enforcement and the schools collectively—do the planning and lockdown drills we do, but yesterday, it worked.

To the parents—we understand there is no greater fear than knowing your child may be in danger and you cannot get to them. We know that some of you had to wait—sometimes several hours—to reunite with them. It was our priority—and that of the school—to get the kids out and get them back to you safely. We appreciate your understanding that it was a process that took some time. The support you provided to us and to your children was phenomenal.

We know that parents, students, and staff are still dealing with the impact of this incident. The mental health resources are available again today, and I would encourage you to take advantage of them at the schools and at Mt. Hood Community College. We will have more information on that in a few minutes.

Now I would like to introduce Linda Florence, Superintendent of the Reynolds School District.

The below information was provided by Sergeant Carey Kaer of the Troutdale Police Department.

The investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone who was a witness to the events inside the school during the shooting or who may have information about the shooting is asked to call the Troutdale Police tip line. We have a new tipline number—it is (503) 618-7633.

People with images taken during the incident at the school should e-mail those through the link available at www.Troutdale.info.

Multnomah County has established a mental health resource center at Mt. Hood Community College gymnasium. That center is being staffed by counselors from Multnomah County, FBI Victim’s Services, and Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) and the Reynolds School District until 7:00 p.m. tonight.

The Multnomah County Mental Health Crisis line is also available at (503) 988-4888.